10 Interesting Sloth Facts

Check out the medium sized mammal in Sloth Facts. There are six species of sloth. They are included in the families of Bradypodidae and Megalonychidae. The former one is used to classify the three toed sloth and the latter one is for the two toed sloth. Sloth is related to anteaters for they are included in order Pilosa. Let’s find out more interesting facts about sloth below:

Sloth Facts 1: the arboreal animals

Sloths are included as arboreal animals. You can find them dwelling on trees. They can be found living in the South and Central American jungles. They are called sloths because they are slow moving animals.

Sloth Facts 2: the extinct sloths

If you check out the extinct sloths, they had big bodies which made them look like an elephant. Some of them were the ground sloths and aquatic sloths.

Sloth Image

Sloth Facts 3: the habitat for other organisms

Do you know that sloth is a good habitat for other organisms? You can find algae, beetles, moths, ciliates; cockroaches and fungi living on a single sloth.

Sloth Facts 4: diet

There are several foods that sloth likes to eat such as leaves, tender shoots and buds. They are included as a folivores.

Sloth Pic

Sloth Facts 5: the diet for the two-toed sloths

The small reptiles, insects, and small birds are some of the common foods for the two toed sloths.

Sloth Facts 6: the adaptation

Now sloth adapts well in the arboreal habitat. They eat leaves as the main food. This source of energy is not easy to digest and only give a small amount of nutrients and energy. Find out sheep facts here.

Sloth

Sloth Facts 7: the tough leaves

The tough leaves that the sloth eats will be broken down by the symbiotic bacteria. The stomach of sloth has multiple compartments and it slowly digests the leaves.

Sloth Facts 8: the tongue

The tongue of a sloth is very unique. They are capable of reaching the leaves using the tongue for it can stick out for around 10 to 12 inches.

Sloth Face

Sloth Facts 9: the digestion system

Since the stomach of sloth is slow acting, the animal will need at least one a month to complete the digestive process. The content of the stomach comprises more than two-third of the body weight. Get facts about skunk here.

Sloth Facts 10: sloth in Barro Colorado Island

The population of sloth occupies more than 70 percent of the biomass of the arboreal mammals which live on the Barro Colorado Island in Panama.